Following George Entwistle's resignation the bookies are now quoting Thomson, the BBC's former chief operating officer, as the favourite to replace him at 5/2, followed closely by Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards at 3/1.

There is a 5/1 chance that Helen Boaden steps up from BBC's director of news or it is 8/1 that acting director general Tim Davie gets the gig on a full-time basis.

Jessica Bridge of Ladbrokes said: "Another one bites the dust and the odds suggest Thomson won't be unlucky in the selection process second time round."